Protected optical interface

Abstract

An optic fiber connector system which uses low cost plex components while providing sealing and physical protection approaching that of military type optical connectors. An assembly ( 70 ) of a plurality of shells includes a middle shell ( 72 ) with an internal flange ( 120 ) having a rectangular opening ( 122 ) that closely receives and is fixed to a plex housing ( 12 ). Front and rear backshells ( 80, 82 ) extend in opposite directions from the middle shell and surround optic fiber cables ( 32, 34 ) that trail from plex optic fiber connectors ( 20, 22 ), and with rubber grommets ( 110 ) sealed to the optic fiber cables.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. An optic fiber connector system which comprises a housing that has at least one through bore with front and rear longitudinally spaced opposite ends, said bore ends constructed to each receive and latch to a pair of mating optic fiber connectors wherein each connector includes a frame with a through passage, a terminus lying in the through passage, and an optic fiber cable with a fiber that extends through the through passage, comprising: 
       an assembly of a plurality of shells that lies on an axis, said shells including a middle shell that closely receives said housing, and front and rear backshells that are each sealed with respect to said middle shell and that extend forward and rearward, respectively, from said middle shell;  
       elastomeric grommets that each lies in one of said backshells, each grommet having a periphery sealed to one of said backshell and each having a middle sealed to one of said optical cables.  
     
     
       2. The connector system described in  claim 1  wherein: 
       said assembly of shells includes said front and rear backshells with cylindrical threaded ends and said middle shell with cylindrical front and rear threaded ends threadably coupled to said backshell ends, said middle shell having an internal flange, said flange having front and rear surfaces, and said housing forming a pair of shoulders abutting said front and rear flange surfaces.  
     
     
       3. The connector system described in  claim 2  wherein: 
       said housing has a rectangular cross-section, when viewed along said front and rear directions, said middle flange has a cylindrical middle portion, and said internal flange has a cylindrical radially outer end and has a rectangular through passage that closely receives said housing.  
     
     
       4. The connector system described in  claim 2  including: 
       a plurality of seals that seal said front and rear ends of said middle shell to said front and rear backshells.  
     
     
       5. An optic fiber connector system which comprises a plex housing which has at least one through bore with front and rear longitudinally spaced opposite ends, said bore ends constructed to receive and latch to optic fiber plex connector assemblies, and a pair of said plex connector assemblies that each includes a plex connector comprising a plex frame with a through passage and a terminus lying in the through passage, and each said plex connector assembly also including an optic fiber cable with a fiber that extends through the through passage, comprising: 
       a middle shell which has a passage that closely receives said housing, said middle shell having front and rear ends;  
       front and rear backshells that extend respectively forwardly and rearwardly from said middle shell and that are each sealed with respect to said middle shell;  
       front and rear cable each lying in one of said backshells and sealed to one of said optic fiber cables.  
     
     
       6. The connector system described in  claim 5  wherein: 
       said middle shell has externally threaded front and rear ends, and said backshells have internally threaded ends, said rear backshell having a threaded front end that is threadably engaged with said middle shell threaded rear end;  
       said front backshell includes a plug barrel part with a front portion that fits into said middle shell front end, said plug barrel part having a forwardly-facing shoulder, and said front backshell having a hollow coupling nut which has an internally threaded rear end that threadably engages said middle shell front end, said coupling nut having a front end with a rearwardly-facing shoulder that abuts said plug barrel forwardly-facing shoulder, whereby to enable disassembly without having to turn the front backshell and the frontmost optic fiber cable.